Monday, February 7, 2011

Thank You God For The Food and Don't Forget The Potatoes




This is a true story. It happened sometime ago. But IT happened.
A few of my dear loved ones know this story.
I felt it needed to be told again. I want to share it with everyone.
I will tell you this. This story does not belong to me. It belongs to God.

This was at a time, where I was really struggling with my emotions and talking a lot to God about my feelings. I was feeling frustrated and angry.
I was letting my feelings get in the way of what God needed to do in me.
I was feeling upset about some things that was going on in my life at the time and questioning God concerning those things and what He wanted for me and how he was going to help me.
I felt mad and hurt about those things that was happening.

My normal reaction to these things, was to eat. Now at this time, I was trying not to do that. I was just starting to learn how to go to God with my feelings instead of to food.
I was on a journey with God and I wanted His healing in my life.

I couldn’t understand so many things and wanted to know why, for everything.
Because so much damage, hurt, and lies were done to me.
I got desperate to know truth. His truth into my life.
Food just did not give me the answers I desperately needed for my life.
I was at a cross road. God met me in the middle.


Now at this time I also was thinking about making a meatloaf for my family.
I was thinking about how my mother-in-law made hers. She put potatoes and string beans around it, as it cooked. It was really good. So I decided to give it a try. I am not a good cook. Never have been. So I begin to pray about the food turning out good, before I even went to the store to get all that I needed to make this. I kept on praying for it to be blessed and to taste good as I prepared it and cooked it. Prayer over the food I cook serves a good purpose for those who will eat it!

We were on a very tight budget and I only went to the grocery store every 2 weeks. So I had to make certain of my list of needs and that the things I bought would last 2 weeks. If I missed something on the list….then I had to do without it.

The evening I was preparing to make the meatloaf. I noticed I did not have the potatoes. I was very upset. I complained to my husband. I shoved the 2 little cans of string beans in my husband’s face and said, “See, no potatoes!“ I complained a little bit more about it, as he moved back away from me.
“I planned this meal and forgot the potatoes!”

My husband comforted me and told me it would still be good without them.
I told him, that it was not going to work out at all. I was so disappointed.
He gave me a “I am sorry for you look,“ and then told me, he and my son were going to go over to his dad’s house to help him mend a fence.

When they left, I turned my attention, half hearted, to my supper plans and I put on the radio to listen to some Christian music.
I begin to sing as I cooked and felt better.
But I still didn’t feel especially happy about making this meatloaf without the potatoes. I was also still thinking about the frustrations I was feeling about the hurt in my life and wanting to know what God was going to do about it.

An Amy Grant song, came on, ‘Love Will Find A Way.’
She started singing,

“Here I stand an angry young woman taking all the pain to heart, Love will find a way.”

Hear it for yourself and you’ll see with your heart, how God spoke to mine through this song…right then and there in that moment!
http://www.lyricstime.com/amy-grant-find-a-way-lyrics.html

As I listened to this song. I became overwhelmed. Tears fell from my eyes, like a steady rain on a windshield.
I felt tingles and my heart squeezed. I knew God was loving on me, relating to me, showing me He cared.
I began to cry and I lifted my hands up to Him and prayed. I told Him, I was sorry for my attitude and thanked Him for caring for me and being there for me.

I felt better as I was cooking.
It came time for me to put the string beans and NO potatoes with the meatloaf.
My Heart got okay with that, I would have been an idiot not to get over that now.
I accepted we would have a good meal without the potatoes.

I got out a can opener and the 2 cans of string beans and a bowl. I opened the first can and poured out the string beans.
I opened the 2nd can of string beans and poured out……………………………POTATOES!

YES! P-O-T-A-T-O-E-S!

Beautiful white little round ones! They seemed endless, coming out that little can!

Filling the bowl, over flowing!

I praised God and thanked Him, right then and there.
He did that!
He is so in the details!

I decided not to cook them right away, I covered them up with a dish towel and waited to show my husband.

I couldn’t wait for him to get home. I kept saying to God, “Please hurry him home, I can’t wait to show him what You did!”
I thought he would never get there! I was acting like a little kid that had to go pee really bad and had no bathroom to get to. I couldn’t hardly stand it!

He barely got in the door and I was on him, like white on rice. Jumping up and down, acting like a woman gone crazy!
I kept saying, “You gotta see this!” “You gotta see this!”
“You gotta see what God did!”

I whipped off the dish towel from the top of the bowl. He looked astonished, his mouth was wide open….He said, “Where did those come from, we didn’t have any potatoes.”

I held up the little green bean can and thrust it toward him and said, “From this can!”
He said, “That is a string bean can.” (like I didn’t know that)
“How can you get potatoes from that?!”
I said, “I knoooooooooow!” “God did it!”
He began to cry. He was very moved with overwhelming feelings of emotion.

We sure had a great meal.
And everything tasted so good.


There is just a little more to this story….
At the time, I was attending a women’s class one night a week at the church we were attending at that time.
The next day, after God gave us potatoes for our meal. I pondered in my heart all day about what happened.
I said in my heart, “God, this is mine, what happened here last night is mine, not anybody else’s.” “It is between You and I. It is my story.”

Oh, you know what? I bet when I said that in my heart. God just smiled at me. Cause He was going to set me straight on that in a quick minute!

I think He takes a little joy in our stubborn-ness. He does His best work in those times!

I went to my class.
After the leader prayed us in, to start the class, my heart begin to stir in me something fierce!
I am not kidding! Then all the sudden the leader said, “Does anybody have something they would like to share, before we get started?”

“What in the name that is all holy?????” “She never asked that before!”

My heart kept squeezing in a way I never felt before.

I heard the Holy Spirit tell me, “Tell about the potatoes.”
I said, inside myself….”No, it is my story.”
He said, “No, it is not your story, it is My story.”
I sat there, determined not to tell it.
I wanted it to myself.

All at once…I felt a heavy pressure on my head, gently pushing me down and down and down. I am talking literally. I was going down for the count!

I was slipping out of my seat and onto the floor!
I thought, “Good Lord, I am sliding right off this chair in front of all these women!”
Just before I hit the floor. I said in my heart, “Fine.” “I will tell it.”
I pulled myself back up in a sitting position and opened my mouth.
The words just poured out.

There were tears and laughter everywhere in that room.
Amazement!

That story touched each one in there in a different way and meant something different to each of their lives.
One lady who was there, who is now a best friend to me, she said, “I bet when you opened up that 2nd can and those potatoes came out, an angel up in heaven saw the look on your face and said, “Now that is a Kodak moment, I’m taking a picture!”

Later that story, was printed in short version form in another Women’s Bible study in that church. It was shared with many others. I learned from many women, how it touched them personally in their lives.

It is not my story. It is God’s story.

After that class was over with…some time later. I was at the dollar store. I saw a white gift bag with big potatoes on the front and written across it were these words, Thank God for the food and don’t forget the potatoes.
I bought the bag.

Kim Wenrich
2 Corinthians 5:17
Psalms 139
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gods-Girls-Most-Honorable-and-Beautiful-Among-All-Women/248867505178819

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Lion Of Judah Roars When His Princess Cries


         


                                                                          




How can it be again Lord?

This life is so hard. It has so many hurts. All I want to do is know you better.
Live life loving others, be a blessing to my family.
Sometimes life feels like a rug pulled out from under me. All the sudden I am on my face. Crying.

                                  
Every time I think I got a hold on things….I don’t.
I cry.
I get overwhelmed with life at times, what it throws at me and I get on my face and I cry.
“I need you, My God. My soul gets tired. I feel discouraged. What is next? How much longer can I do this? I want to feel better. I want to feel assurance, joy, encouraged. I feel afraid right now.”


I wipe my tears and I take a moment and go outside. I see you in everything. I think of You My Lord.
I remember how You have placed the simple things in my life to give me joy and I am so amazed.
In that moment I am still and it seems Holy.
A song comes to my mind. “Oh Lord, my God how majestic is Your name in all the earth.”
I sing it softly to Your hearing.
A moment just between God and me. I think of the depth of this and I am moved in my heart with emotion. “You my God are bigger than my heart. I love you so much.”
“I see your ways in our lives and I remember them all. I seek You in my mind. In my thoughts.
 In my heart. I think about how everything about me matters to You. I forget the depth of my distress. But You remind me of Your goodness with the simple things. Your beautiful ways are all around me. You bless the weak ones. You are the strongest in those moments.
You rise up those who feel down.


God hears the cry of His Own.
He knows when you need Him. He rushes in to cover you. He stands in front of you. He roars at your adversity, those who want to harm you, those that hurt you. He roars at the source of your pain, tears and sadness.
He tells them all,
“Stay back, this is my girl!‘ “No harm will come to her!” “She is mine!”





When you cry out, He hears you. You have His attention, when the things of this world have pressed in….He arises to your pleas.


“MY PRINCESS, HAS NEED OF ME!”


                                                         Nothing gets in His way of you.
                                                                          
It is the cry of His Princess.
This Princess needs help.
This Princess needs hope.
She needs to be rescued.
She needs to experience the Love of Her King.


He hears your cry.
God heard it the moment the cry impacted your heart.






Before the tears had a chance to reach your eyes and fall down your cheeks.
                                                  
He heard you.                                         

Before your lips gave your cry words.
Before your voice was raised to the heavens.
He heard you.
He heard you when your whispered your words.
He heard the depth of your words, when you had no words.


Your King loves you. He roars for you and when He does, time stops around you.
All things are in awe and tremble under it.
Your cries are all that matters to Him.


ARISE PRINCESS, YOUR GOD IS HERE.
“NO HARM TO HER.” “THIS IS MY GIRL.”


“I Am here to take care of you.”
You feel the reality of this. You are completely comforted and surrendered to this Love.
Like a little girl who runs into her dad’s waiting, outstretched arms; He picks you up and holds you close. Your sorrow turns into joy and He lifts you up, twirls you around in the air. In a dance only He and you share. A Princess and her King.
                                                      
Your King is Faithful and Good. His promises last unto generation to generation. He is your Everlasting Love. He roars for you. For you belong to Him. You are His.





Kim Wenrich
2 Corithians 5:17
Psalms 139
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gods-Girls-Most-Honorable-and-Beautiful-Among-All-Women/248867505178819

Thursday, January 13, 2011

What Is That Smell?




Lately I have been getting devotions to read concerning words that are spoken. It seems where-ever I turn…I am reading or hearing something about this subject.
I just received something else about this.
This one I read and re-read.
So I am now sitting here really thinking about it.

“God, what is it I need to get from this?” “What is it I need to receive in my spirit concerning my words?”

It dawns on me. You know what that means?
That means the sun came up and darkness went away.
This means to me, The Son shined His light into my heart revealed the darkness of some of my words that I have been speaking lately.

For awhile I have been complaining too much about past hurtful memories of things said and done to me. The ball on this got rolling in me, when someone in my life, said some very disturbing hurtful things recently. This was like cutting open an old battle scar.
Giving my fear, pain and hurt a voice. Sounding like a wounded animal, about to die.

My husband and son said to me,
“Can’t you talk about something good?”
“Will you please talk about good things.”
“Will you please just enjoy this day.”
It took three times for me to get it.

I was going on and on and on like the desert.
I was drying out their spirit and they needed some fresh water fast.

I realized how easy it is to focus on pain and hurt. How easy it is to be negative.
Words give life or take it away. Words can dry out a spirit or refresh it.
I know how words spoken to me, have almost killed my heart.
But I also know how it feels when words have given my heart, kindness, acceptance, love, happiness and even Life.
Words have helped me to grow too, giving me knowledge and understanding as well.

I announced to my family, “I am going to make an effort to focus on the good in my life.” “On all that God has done for me and is doing for me.”
Smiles cross their faces. I just gave them a drink of water. We are at an oasis.
Thank you God.

I am going to be strong in His might and in His power.
I am going to embrace the good that God has graced my life with.
I am going to ask God to help me, remind me, whenever I get an unexpected hurt, pain, sorrow, a mean spirited word spoken to me or an old fear knocks at the door of my heart….

”God, You are my healer, I need Your Spirit to guide my reaction to this, in my words and my deeds God I pray I honor you with my life. I need you to fill me with Your life so I can be a life giver to others.”

My Pastor talked about the power of the Holy Spirit. In his sermon he said, “When you walk in the Spirit, you are full of the Fruit of the Spirit.”

Galatians 5: 22.
“The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

I find other scriptures that go hand in hand with this. 1 Corinthians 13. The Love Chapter. Then Ephesians 4: 29-32. It states in there not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God in our actions and words.

As I read and am filled with an awe. It is as if I am reading it for the first time as a dry and thirsty flower. I just keep needing to be watered by God’s Spirit.
I am glad His Spirit is the One that waters my soul.
My soul longs for Him, as a deer that longs for water.

In Ephesians 5: 1 and 2, God’s word says that I am to be a beloved Child of God, reflecting His Spirit in my life to others, to Him, walking in the Love Jesus gave for me, by giving Himself as a offering and sacrifice to God as a Fragrant Aroma.

Our words, even our actions…Can be as a sweet fragrance unto our Lord.

OR

As Romans 3:13 and Psalms 5:9 states our words, (even or actions) can make our throats stink like an open grave.

I am going to be blunt here.
Have you ever smelled what a dead, rotten animal smells like?
I have…sometime ago, in an back field my husband and I were following this trail to a pond to go fishing. We walked past an old dead animal. The smell gagged us. Our walk turned into a run to get away from the smell. We were pinching our noses and trying to keep from throwing up. We took a completely different way back. To avoid that smell.

At times, going down the road in the car, we smell something dead on the side of the road, that some car or truck hit and killed. Those smells are repulsive.
After we pass smells like that, I am relived and I say, “Is there some other way we could get back home, beside that way,”

I am sure you can imagine what I just wrote and your stomach may be turning sour a little and a grimace is on your face.

Imagine now, what our ungodly, words or actions may be like to God.

I admit, there are times, in my raw emotions of hurt or anger, I have said some mean things about someone in my family in response to some damage done to my heart.

I ask God to forgive me. He doesn’t leave my heart untouched by His Spirit. I will feel convicted and remorseful. I have to get that right with Him. I got to get that stink out, so I can smell good again. I need to let the Holy Spirit give my life on the inside a bath.

What does our life say to others?

What about riding down the road with your church name on the bumper sticker of your car or the sticker that says, “Real men love Jesus,” and suddenly a car comes to close, almost runs you off the road or cuts you off. Suddenly the bird on your hand called the nasty finger flies sky ward, facing your offender.

How about that scowl on your face and maybe even a bad word or name came from the pit of your throat and crawled out of your mouth before you could stop it?

They look at you, they see the look on your face, they see the mouthed word, the finger and then as you pass by The Bumper Sticker.

What is that smell?                                        

Every time, we say or do something that we know that makes Our God want to gag or grieves His Precious Holy Spirit, we need to have a funeral, cause something has died in us and it stinks.
Dig a hole, put it in there, pray over it.
Ask God to forgive you. Plant flowers on top. So something good can grow out of it and walk away. That thing is dead and gone. Not apart of you anymore.
Invite the Holy Spirit to give you life in your deeds and words.

Here is a true story. It is familiar to some of you. New to most of you.

One Night my husband and I were asleep in bed. We woke up at the same time in the middle of the night and while laying there, we just started talking about God. About all kinds of things about Him. How good He is, all the things He does for us, how grateful we were and how much we love Him.
It seemed we talked like this for hours.

Suddenly, there was a great sweeping aroma that was all around us and in the room. The smell was so sweet, like a room full of the best flowers and best fruits, mixed together. The smell was not a sickening heavy smell.

But A Perfect Smell.                                           

We both just stopped talking and was still.

After a moment, David said, “Did you just spray perfume in here?”

I said, “No, honey, it is the middle of the night. I am laying here right next to you.”

He said, “Do you smell that?”

I said, “Yes.” “It smells incredible, like nothing I have ever smelt before.”

He said, “I know, I have never smelled anything like that either.”

Then we heard Him…He said, “Your words are a sweet smell unto my nostrils.”

Both my husband and I cried and thanked the Lord for His great love for us.
We were grateful to please our Father.
We then held hands and prayed together and went into a peaceful, restful sleep.

The next day…I was thinking on our experience of the night before and I wondered this…If our good words are a sweet aroma, then what are our ugly words like to God????

The Holy Spirit said, “As the smell of an open grave.”

I told my husband this…after that we have never forgotten to be careful with our words.

When we do speak ugly words or act ugly, we are reminded by the Holy Spirit of how it effects Him and we are quick to say I am sorry to each other and to say I am sorry to God.

Kim Wenrich
2 Corinthians 5:17
Psalms 139
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gods-Girls-Most-Honorable-and-Beautiful-Among-All-Women/248867505178819

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Pu'rpura Mariposa-Purple Butterfly

Pu’rpura Mariposa

                                            
I do not know her name, I don’t know who she is. But God does, completely.
He knows her so well, He knows that her favorite color is purple and that she is a Butterfly in her home to her family.

This is how I know this…..

The Women’s Bible that I attend at Valley Church, was having a Christmas party the week before Christmas. The Leader of our group, Amanda, let us know what we are going to be doing…finger foods, making an Advent Wreath to remember Jesus in the season and we were going to play a “White Elephant” gift exchange. That is when you bring a gift anonymously and place it in a pile. Then each person draws a number. Starting with the person with number 1 to the last number of the person participating, you get to pick a wrapped gift in the middle or you can steal one that someone has already opened.

That week,
I told my husband…I wanted to get a gift, but had no idea what to buy. I thought of many different things. We were told the spending limit was up to $10. I ran by my ideas to him. I still was undecided. So while we were out, we prayed together and I said this to God, “God, I don’t know what to buy as a gift. I don’t know who will pick this gift at the party. But You do. Lord, I pray You will help me pick the gift for that person. I pray it will bless her and be personal to her. I want her to know how special she is to You in a personal way. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”

We were going on down the road and my husband pulled up to Pier One.
I said to him, “What in the world are you doing here?” He said, “I know you don’t like this store, but be patient with me. I think you are going to find the gift for that person you prayed for here.”
I was very unsure of that. I do not like that store and my husband knows that.
But I decided to trust the idea.

I have learned, we make our plans, but God does direct our paths.
Proverbs 3:6 “In all you ways acknowledge Him, And he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 16:9 “The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”

I went in, standing just inside the front door, I looked all around me and wanted to turn right back out and go somewhere else…but something in me pulled me right on in….I ventured in, looking at the unusual things in there. I said out loud, “God, what could be here, for the girl You have in mind?”

Then, THERE IT WAS!
I saw it and I was drawn to it.
I looked up and hanging from the ceiling was a beautiful purple butterfly. It had purple ribbons that trailed down below it.
I looked down at the table, searching for a purple one….I found a pink one, yellow, blue, green…every color of the rainbow. But I couldn’t find purple.
I had to get purple.
There in the back of the pile on the bottom was ONE PURPLE BUTTERFLY.
I felt my heart jump and squeeze with the assurance. Yes, that is it!
I then saw a pretty purple flower pen. I said, “I got to get this too. The lady that gets this might feel like a princess.”
I also had a purple little card that said, “God’s Girl.” I taped it to the package of the butterfly and put the pretty flower pen beside it and wrapped it up.

I said to my husband, “God sure did lead me to this and purple seems to be the theme.”

Now I think the purpose of this gift exchange thing, is that others don’t know who gave what. But I wanted the lady who got this to know God had her in mind specifically and personally. Not me….God. From my heart I wanted and prayed for it to be that way.

The time of the party came. I laid the wrapped gift down and went about doing party things with these wonderful women in this group.

God worked out many little intricate details…during the gift exchange…I understood this later, as I reflected in my quite time what exactly took place. Your going to like this.

Weeks before this…my son and I went to a craft fair. There I saw a tiny Christmas village. The person that had this, took 3 little buildings, one a church and placed them in a basket, glued down fluff for snow and tiny white lights in the snow and under the little buildings. She added a few little statues of people and trees. I looked at that really closely and I liked it a lot. A whole lot.
I saw the tag on it and saw it was way too much for my budget. But thought it looked worth the price, considering.
I thought in my heart…”maybe one day, I can make one for myself.”
And off I went about my day…not another thought of it.

But you have got to know this…God was there.
He knows my thoughts, my heart’s desires. Everything about me. He loves me and cares about the details of my life.

Because during the Christmas party, one of those sweet ladies, had bought a village kit, 3 little buildings, one a church and wrapped each and every little piece, included a box of tiny white lights and the white fluff for snow! She had placed it all in a big Christmas bag.
I saw this when a lady picked this gift and opened it.
My eyes got big as half dollar coins!
I thought, “Oh yes, I am going to steal that one when it is my turn!”

I even went out of turn, by reading my number wrong. I didn’t have my glasses on. When the number I thought was mine was called, I went right up to that prize and started packing it up for myself.
Then another lady said, “You might not want to pack that up so fast, what if one of us wants it.” I stopped in my tracks. I felt instantly very selfish and bad on the inside. I stepped away, and said, “Oh, I didn’t think of that…I am so sorry. I will share. If anyone else wants it, that is okay.”

Then right beside me was Frances. I have grown to love this precious lady since I met her. She is such a sweet loving soul, full of grace and gentleness. I can’t imagine my life with out her imprint.  She said in such a sweet soft voice, “Excuse me Kim, are you certain about the number you have, I am sure I have that number.”

I took another hard look at my slip of paper and there it was, the wrong number.
I was actually 2nd to the last of us all.

I was so embarrassed. It seems, I never can do anything in a quite way.
I seem to stand out all the time, everywhere I go. I ask God all the time, “God please make me quite, not so loud and bold in my ways. Sometimes I think I should just tie bells to my heels where ever I go. I am that obvious and I don’t like it.”

I am starting to think, He likes me the way I am. Because nothing has changed about my personality or character no matter how hard I try and pray about it. Maybe I should just be who He made me to be and Thank Him for it. He will work on the areas that need His touch. I am sure of that.

As the gift exchange went on, I noticed no one was stealing the village. Then I wondered if they were all being nice cause they knew I wanted it.
I couldn’t believe no one else would want that! :)
I am not implying that the other gifts were not nice. They were all very nice. My heart was just set on one. The Village Set.

I also saw how the gift I bought was being left each time in the pile. No one was picking it. Even though no one knew who brought what, I felt indifferent, like the kid who got picked last at school cause no one liked her/him. I was getting a little hurt feelings, to tell you the truth.

But as I felt that, I begin to watch something dynamic unfold.

It finally was my turn. Yes, I got my village!

Then it was the last lady’s turn. The gift I brought, still sat all alone. Nobody picked it and she didn’t have a choice. It was all that was left. But I forgot she got the option to steal. And she left that gift on the floor and went to each person in the room to see which one she wanted. That meant that the person she took the gift from, would get the last gift laying in the floor.

She took a gift that was picked earlier from a girl that was sitting near a corner of the room and sat down with it. That meant that girl had to take the last unwrapped gift in the floor.

So she got it. Unwrapped it and held it to her chest. She is of Spanish nationality. She said, “Don’t steal.” “Do not steal.”

But the thing is…no one had the option to steal a gift. It was over. She was the last with the last gift.

I could hear her talking to her mom, in English and then in Spanish. I wanted to get closer to hear her. I wanted to know what she was saying.

I wanted to know what God did for her and how He answered my prayer.

I heard her say…”Purple and Butterfly and I am God’s Girl.”

So at the end of the party, I went to her side and I told her, her gift was so pretty and the ribbons were pretty that hung down from it.

She said, that Purple was her favorite color and in her family she is known as the Butterfly. She said it in Spanish to me too, Pu’rpura Mariposa.

I don’t know her…I didn’t know purple is her color and that she has a nick name of butterfly at home by her family. But God did.
He knew her favorite color and all the sweet details of her life.

He knows that about you too. That is how much He is into you.
Don’t think for a second you don’t matter. Everything about you, is everything to Him. You are perfectly and wonderfully made. He created everything about you. As my Bible Study Leader, Amanda says, “It is a great joy to delight in the things of Him.”
So delight in Him and rejoice in His great love for you and all that concerns you.
You are His favorite.

Kim Wenrich
Pslams 139
2 Corithians 5:17
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gods-Girls-Most-Honorable-and-Beautiful-Among-All-Women/248867505178819

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

It Was A Good Moment

It Was A Good Moment


The other day I was reminded of how attentive my God is to me.
I wanted to share that with you.

My husband and I were in the car discussing Christmas a few days ago.
It seems the older the child, the more expensive the requests get.
The wishes seems shorter, but the cost seems more.

I remember when my son was 3, 4 and 5 years old. I found great deals at thrift stores. Incredibly, what he wanted I usually found there and could make them look clean and new. I would wrap them up and put them under the tree. He was so excited and happy with those things. He would open them up and be wide eyed and filled with joy. Giving us hugs and thank yous. Saying, “this is the best Christmas ever,” in those little years. He’d play for hours until he feel asleep right there by the tree on the floor.

Oh the memories. It was a good moment.

Our best memories were at this little house we lived at in Ruther Glen. We lived there from when my son was 3 until he was nearly 8 years old.
Every one of those Christmas’ there, is remembered in our hearts.
We talk often of them at this time each year, with smiles and with tears of gratitude in our hearts.

I remember one in particular that will never leave my heart. It was our first year at the little house. My husband and I got up early, before light.
He started a fire in the wood stove. I turned on the Christmas lights on the tree and on the green garland across our entry way between the living room and the kitchen. I lit some candles and together my husband and I started coffee and breakfast. Our sweet little boy, 3 years old, still sleeping all snug and cozy in his bed.
My husband’s birthday is the same date as Christmas day. So this day is extra special to us.

As my husband and I were in the kitchen finishing up with things, we planned to call his parents to come over before Jonathan was awake, so they could see him when he gets up and starts his Christmas adventures. What a joy for us all to share in that moment together.

Before David called them, he and I prayed together. We held hands in the kitchen and bowed our heads. We asked our God to be apart of this wonderful day. We asked Him to bless the day and to keep in our hearts the real reason we were celebrating this day.
To make it alive and real in our hearts and to each one there that day.
We thanked Him for Jesus and giving His only Son for us. We asked Him to bless our time together with our family.

As my husband said Amen. We began to feel something extraordinary. Suddenly the room felt warmer, more bright and we could even smell the goodness of our Lord as He swept His Holy Spirit around us like a hug and moved into our hearts the reality of His love and sweetness for us. We could not help but stand there in that Holy moment.

We thanked Him for this out loud and our hearts filled will wonder and excitement like we have never felt before.
It was a good moment.

Each Christmas after that, had the same atmosphere for us there at the little house.

Until we moved.
Each year since we moved…I think back.
I want to recapture that time in my mind.
That experience. No man can give us that experience we had there.
It came from our God, not man.

I carry it in my heart wherever I go.
That Holy moment is within me, my son and husband.
God takes good care of His own.

So whoever is reading this, you maybe wealthy, poor or just making it. I don’t know.
It doesn’t make you better or worse for it. If you are a child of God, you have the perfect gift to offer and that would be Jesus. It was paid for by a price that can never be repaid. The most valuable of gifts is Jesus. Let us focus on what Christmas really means.
Not in what we can buy and get.

God will take care of you in the ways that you need Him to. Need a job, food, needs met,
ask The Great I Am. He does greater things then these.

Just the other day…my now 16 year old son, was excited about putting up a tree this year.
He talked about it for 3 weeks. He wanted a 6 foot multi color pre-lit white tree.
Kind of specific huh? He wanted to put it up the day after Thanksgiving.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we did not have the money to get him a tree. We talked to him and told him, “maybe by the week of Christmas we would see what we could do.”
I know there are people that put up their trees even on Christmas eve.

But Jonathan is different. He is a Christmas person. He is thinking about Christmas in November and playing Christmas music all the time. He is just that way.

I had just had surgery in the beginning of November, I was in no mood for anything.
I am just wanting to heal and get over myself and my crazy hormonal emotions.
But I got my boy to think of. So I pray.

I don’t know when, but apparently some time ago, I mentioned buying Jonathan that tree he wanted to my friends right down at the bottom of our driveway.
They showed up the night before Thanksgiving with a new 6 foot white multi-colored pre-lit tree for my boy. What a beautiful surprise. It brought tears to our eyes.
We were so touched by their generous gift.

Jonathan was so excited and happy about it. I knew he would put it up as soon as possible. Before I knew it, he had the tree up and our Christmas boxes of decorations everywhere. Things scattered and pulled out.

You see, I know God spoke to their hearts for us. I just know He did that. And they responded to His prompting to love on us.

God uses us all in different ways for all kinds of reasons.
We are to love one another, show generosity. To be kind and thoughtful.
Can you put those things in a box and wrap them up? No, but you can give it away from your heart. Priceless.

As we are going about this season with whatever is on our minds…lets not forget to let our hearts speak to us. In all circumstances, let peace and love abound.
Sometimes all someone else might need, truly need is a hug or a kind word.

Let someone go in line in front of you. Hold open a door. Move a grocery basket to the right place that someone left thoughtlessly in the middle of the parking lot.
So what if it is not yours.
If you see a person that has pretty hair, a nice shirt on, or a nice smile, tell them so.

Think a minute or two before you go out into your day…sit in your car and ask God to bless your day and to help you see with His eyes today, to see others as He sees them, to help you watch out for someone to bless.

I have heard before, that a kind word has spoke healing into the lives of others and also I have heard a kind word or act has even saved a life. You just never know. But God does. Trust Him to lead your heart to love others.

Buy lunch or dinner for someone you don’t know. Someone you don’t know. Let me repeat, how about someone you don’t know. Let your heart speak to you.
Let the God of all gods lead you toward goodwill to others.

I know this has got long…but I want to tell you one other story.
Last year in early November, I had $20 left from my budget until pay day.
I said in my heart, “God, I know I only have $20 left…but I really want to have a good meal with my son out today. I really want to go to Cracker Barrel for dinner.”
(God knows that is my favorite)
I said, “God, I hadn’t been keeping much down and I know a good meal from there would hit the spot and I would get to have some quality time with my son.”
Well I went and picked him up from school that afternoon when school let out.
I announced to him. “Guess what, you and I are going to Cracker Barrel for dinner!”
He said, “Can I get what I want.” “I want to eat until I am full.”
(he has always said that)
I said, “Absolutely.”

So we went. We had good conversation and good food. We talked about memories of him as a kid. Of what he was like when he was little and how he is such a joy to his dad and I.
I thanked him for being good and for trying to live a life that pleased God.
I sang to him a song, my mom used to sing to me, “You are my sunshine.”
We even played a paper game, the one called the dot game. You try to see who can connect the dots to get the most boxes. We had a nice time. We talked about so many things and ate well. I didn’t even get sick. I felt refreshed. It was a good moment.

Later I noticed the waitress never brought us our check.
You know, they always put it on the table after they give you your food.
We were way done. So I asked the waitress for the check.
She said, “Oh, I forgot, your ticket has been taken care of. It has been paid.”
“What!” My mouth was wide open in amazement. I looked at my son, he was grinning ear to ear.
I said to her, “Can I know who took care of us?”
She said, “The kind people that was sitting right next to you.”

They were gone.

I tried to rack my brains to think if I saw them, or even noticed them.

I did remember. Because when we sat down. I remember seeing a couple that may have been in their 50’s and I noticed they had a big spread of a harvest type meal.
I remember thinking, “that sure looks nice.”

I said to the waitress, “Well I don’t know who to thank, so I will thank God.”
“Thank you God.” “That was sure nice of you to take care of us like that.”

That was a good moment.

Ever since then I look for an opportunity to return that kind act.
It is harder for me, because I have agoraphobia and panic/anxiety disorder. I don’t go out much. But my husband sure does. He has loved on many people. Even given his own lunch away.
We all should, just do our best to love on others.
That can be our gift to Jesus this season.

Kim Wenrich
2 Corithians 5:17
Psalms 139
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gods-Girls-Most-Honorable-and-Beautiful-Among-All-Women/248867505178819

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

I've Got Your Back

I’ve Got Your Back



Have you ever wondered what that means?
I have. Many times I wondered what that means after the first time I heard it a few years ago.
It may mean different things for different people.
It may mean nothing to some, being no one has ever had your back.
It meant nothing to me for a long time. I didn’t know someone could have your back.

I have a past. A very sad one and hurt filled one. Filled with emotional, mental, physical and sexual abuse. Who had my back? All those years, who?
Those who said they loved me, did this abuse to my life.
So who did I trust to have my back?

I only knew two things. There was God. He did in fact love me and I prayed to Him all the time.
During those sad times, I cried a lot. But it was between me and God. No one knew I cried. I didn’t let anyone see my pain, my hurt.
I kept my face emotionless. I gave no one the satisfaction of knowing how they were murdering my heart and crushing my spirit into dried bones.
God knew though. That was enough for me.

I still didn’t know who had my back.
Others told me, how to be worthy of their love.
Others told me, how to think.
Others told me, “You are stupid.” “No one wants you.” “You are worthless.” “Don’t speak, you say stupid things.” ‘You’re ugly.” My rapist said, “You are only good for one thing.”

I believed every word. Told to me daily and nightly.
My insides screamed. But my face was stone.

God did rescue me. He did have my back.
A Knight in Shining Armor came to the aide of this damsel in distress, when I was at the tender age of 19.
My Knight drove a car that was a white mustang.
My knight is my husband today.
I married my Knight in Shining Armor, My Hero, My Rescuer.
For this Princess, God made a fairy tale come true.

God used my husband to show me love, true love, tenderness, romance, kindness and he guided me into a love relationship with God through these actions.
My husband, was patient and tolerant of me. I had to learn to trust. Learn what was a lie and what was the truth. This man said beautiful words to my heart.
He said, “You are worthy.” “You are beautiful.” “I love you.” “I want to keep you.”
He gave me my first candle light dinner. My first movie. My first run in the park, hand and hand. He put flowers in my hair and stared in my eyes. He wrote me poems and sung soft love songs in my ears.

I learned to cry tears of joy. I learned to cry tears of pain and sorrow in front of others.
To laugh out loud, to have an opinion, to love and to trust.
God used this man to help heal my heart. To save my life.

I can honestly say, when it really counted, My husband had my back then.

In between then and now, there was times of real trail and error. Pain and hurt and hard circumstances in our marriage. Even the question, would we get divorced, in some very difficult, hurting times. Times when he stole back my trust and put my love for him to the ultimate test. He didn’t have my back and allowed others to hurt me all over again in mental twisted ways. I fell under the abuse so easily. Being destroyed all over again.

I also knew how to handle these hard times. That was my life experience.
I was a professional at handling those things. I cried in secret, put on the emotionless stone face and screamed inside myself.
I can walk those type of walks.

I never doubted the love though. I had felt it and it had changed me before. I never once thought we would not recover.
There are times God Himself rescued us, as one. It took time…but God worked on the foundation that love built between us.

In has only been in the last couple of years…that I have the husband that I only dreamt was possible.
We are more in love now than ever before. God has made our love brand new, sweet and He matured it. Through the years, we learned together and did a lot of weed pulling from our own hearts, and still do. We continue to learn how to be the husband and wife God has planned for each of us to be to one another.

It is very important to have a strong relationship with God no matter what the circumstances.
God is the best back watcher I have ever known.

It may seem easy to give up. But actually to me, that is the hardest thing to do. So I fight to not give up.
I will never give up on my husband, my God or my faith. I have lost too much in life.
Those things will remain.

I often wondered why in the world did God put us together. I understood that this year, this past summer.
It is because we needed each other. God knew exactly what He was doing.
God had our backs.
He still does.

God is the author of having your back.
He is a Promise Keeper. He is The Healer and Restorer. Teacher and Life Giver.
He gave me the best person in the whole world to watch my back even if at times in my life he wasn‘t, he was a work in progress. God still had it covered.

I also learned how to watch his back.
We are a team. It will soon be 21 years of marriage and 23 years together. Those years has taught us how to be a team. God had our backs.

There has been times of hurting each other’s feelings and hearts. Times of loving. Times of changing. Times of growing. Times of crying and times of laughter. Times apart. Times together. In any of those times when we didn’t have each other’s backs, God had our backs.

Recently I was spending time with my Aunt Cindi and I was fussing about ‘things” concerning my husband. “He didn’t do this.“ “He doesn’t do that.“ “Can you believe he did, blah, blah.“
She turned to me and said, “You know, I feel sorry for him right now…your fussing so much about him right now and he doesn’t even know he has done anything wrong and when you get home, you will be mad at him and he won’t even know why.”
I thought about that for a minute.
I was nagging about my husband. Not appreciating what God has given to me in this man, even in the good and bad times. I remembered something David had said to me and I told my Aunt Cindi.
I said to her, “I was worried and upset about some things that was really bothering me that needed done and certain things that needed taken care of that I couldn’t do.
 He said to me, “Honey, don’t worry about it. I Got Your Back.”

I remembered how I felt when he said that to me. I felt complete release. Completely taken care of. Everything was going to be just fine. My husband is taking care of my concerns.
To have someone say that and mean it and then do it. Wow.
She suggested I tell him what it meant to me when he said that.
I did.
Because I need him to have my back right now. I want him to know, how I feel safe with him.
That I have trust in him to do his best by me. Not the best I think he should be, but his best that he knows how to be.
I don’t hold him up too high, I know we all have faults.
There have been times, I feel like him and I should put on gloves and have at it.
Of course I would “win”… win?
There is a scripture in the Bible that says something about, it is better for a man to sleep on the top of the roof of his house in the rain, then to live in the house with a contentious, nagging wife.
Well that says a lot there, doesn’t it?
But what if the man is the contentious, nagging one sometimes?
Should I go on the roof top in the rain?
He has his moments too.
But regardless of those times, when we don’t have each other’s backs.
I can always count on My God to have mine.

I can trust Him. I can feel safe with Him. I know He will be the best and do the best by me. I can be completely released of any worry because God has my back.
His promises never fail. His compassions are new every morning.
His love is everlasting to everlasting.
For God so loved you so much, that He gave His only Son.
He gave us all the opportunity to accept His Son into our hearts so that we can have a love relationship with Him and be Sons and Daughters of God. So that we can have eternal life with Him in Heaven.

Now that is someone who has your back.


My Sweet Beloved,

I will be Handling all of your problems and concerns today. That’s My job.
Your job is to give them to me and then to trust me.
Have a great day!   I’ve got your back!

                                     Love you so much,
                                                   Your Heavenly Father


Kim Wenrich
Psalms 139
2 Corinthians 5:17
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gods-Girls-Most-Honorable-and-Beautiful-Among-All-Women/248867505178819

Thursday, October 28, 2010

God Wants to Date His Girls




God Wants to Date His Girls








The Other day, I was talking with my husband about writing a new story in this blog. I have been praying for 2 weeks for God to bless me with a story to write.
It has been a constant prayer during this time. The more I talked to God about it, each day, I felt more of a stirring in my heart…When I talked to my husband about it, he said, “Do you remember that story you wrote about your date with God?” I said, “Yes, what about it?” He said, “I have never got that story out of my mind, I think about it all the time and that story makes me feel special to God.”

I thought on what he had said for a couple days.
While still praying.

Tuesday night, at Bible study…In The book we are using called, How To Find God, the leader of our group was talking about the subject of God’s Spirit will empower your witness. As I casually dropped my eyes over a side section of the page in the book, pertaining to that, I read;

“God didn’t give us the power of the Holy Spirit to feel something, but to accomplish something. Sometimes the Holy Spirit’s power acts like dynamite in our lives, blasting us with zeal, jolting us out of complacency, and motivating us to greater spiritual growth. At other times God’s Spirit is like a dynamic, generating power that Will help us live from day to day at a level we could not achieve on our own.”

This spoke mountains to me.

I felt encouraged. The one thing I ask God for concerning writing for Him in this blog, is encouragement. He knows I need that. Discouragement to me feels like I am sick. Like I am coming down with a bad cold, before it is an actual cold. I hate that feeling.

So I prayed that God would empower me with His Holy Spirit to make that passage of that book alive in me.

God did more than that…because that is how He is. He got in my heart and did a little work on His girl.

The Leader also asked, how do you guard your time with God, because God values your time? Does the activities I choose to do build me up spiritually? She said, to pray to be more sensitive to the things in your life that God is leading you away from or to.
I heard her loud, like trumpets and symbols blowing and banging inside me.

 I prayed some more. I decided, I will really try to put those words into action in my life. Not let the knowledge just rest in my heart, but live it out personally.

So this week…I am not going to watch any TV or DVD that does not reflect goodness. I will not watch shows that are disrespectful of Him, His creation, or others. Shows that gossip or that are disrespectful of the human body in anyway. I will not allow myself to set my eyes on things that disrespect morals and values.
Music either. I will listen only to music that edifies my spirit and draws me to His side and the knowledge of His ways for my life.
If I go to the store, that means being on guard as well.

I told my husband and son about this…They said, “Oh boy!” “You are not going to believe what you have really been seeing and hearing.”

So, I may have been desensitized to little things. Like a passing comment on “a good show or DVD” that actually is harmful, or disrespectful. Maybe even blasphemous to God and against the Character of God.

I am asking God to make me sensitive to the things in my life, surrounding my life, things I have allowed to be snuck into in my life without my even realizing it.
I am asking God to open my eyes to see and my ears to hear. To make my spirit sensitive and strong.

God has been talking to my heart for sometime to have a date with Him. Funny thing is when my husband brought up the story I had written about my date with God…I had already been thinking about, how I really need to have a special date with God, like I used to. I had got away from it…I let life, sickness and every excuse get in the way. I may have forgotten, but God hasn’t. He loves time with us. Real time. Quality, heartfelt, prepared time. He wants to date His Girls.

Last Sunday, the Pastor at our church said something that stirred deep emotions of a memory; The Pastor pointed his finger out toward the congregation and he said,
“Men, you need to date your daughters.”
"They need to know how special they are to you. Tell them they are beautiful. Hold the door open for them. Open the car door for them and shut it for them. Hug them. Talk to them. Be there for them.” “This will keep them for searching out the wrong kind of love. Because the found the right kind of love with you.”

The truth of what he said, struck me in my being like shooting arrows. I instantly felt tears spring to my eyes. I wanted to just lay down on the floor in a heap and weep.

You see, God spoke directly to me, when he said that.

I instantly saw myself on that special date I had with God some time ago.

The feelings, the planning, the anticipation, the love, the excitement, the closeness. Me and My Heavenly Father. No intrusions. Just me and Him.

During that time with My God, I laughed, I cried, I talked and danced with Him. I got in His Word. To get to know Him more and to capture in my heart all that He wanted to show me in His Word.

With all this said, I will now write the story of that special date I had with God.

Some of you know about this story and have told me how it has touched you. For those of you that know this story…you may need a reminder. Just like me.

I mean, look back at what I just written, how many times, did He reach out to me to have another date with Him? I had to share this date story again. For you, for me and for those who need to know what you felt.


God Wants to Date His Girls.


Whenever I “Need” specific time with God, I prepare myself.
I prepare like I am going on a date. Only it is at home. I make sure no one will be home during these times, no phones on, no one coming over…This is my special date with God.
I get up early, clean up the house, make it smell good. Light some candles.

My Father and I have a date. I want things to look nice for Him.

I take a shower and fix myself up to look pretty for God during this time I will have with Him.
I look forward to these times and my heart is filled with anticipation.

One time, some time ago, my husband and son were planning a trip to S.C. leaving on a Saturday for the weekend to spend time with his sister, Esther and her family. I decided that when they are gone, I could have some good, quality alone time with My Heavenly Father.

I couldn’t wait for the weekend. The week seemed to drag by so slow. Finally the day arrived for them to be on their way. I did everything I could to get them going, I even put their bags in the car for them, the night before.
I cleaned out the car and vacuumed it. Because my husband likes to do that before he goes on any trip and always waits to the last minute to do it, so I thought, I would get a step ahead of him and get it done for him, so they can be on their way more quickly.

That Saturday morning I kissed them, watched them get in the car, with a smile on my face, saying to myself quietly, “hurry up and go already, “  as I am waving goodbye to them. I have plans with God.
As I saw them drive out of sight, I turned my full attention to having time with God. I got the whole weekend this time.

I treasured every single moment. I read my Bible a lot that weekend. I had learned that if you want to get to know God, there are 3 things that you must do. Read His Word. Talk to Him. Allow Him to Work in your life.
I asked the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of my heart and that when I read His Word that I would have understanding. I asked Him to make it alive in me as I read.
I found out that, the Bible is Holy Spirit inspired and is God breathed. That it is alive and deep. I wanted to feel what that meant. So I asked the Holy Spirit to give that experience to me as I read. When I read this time…it was different.

It felt like the words were coming right off the pages and straight into my heart. I was receiving it, like water for a thirsty flower. As I read, I felt each word, move within me. I could feel the words breath into my heart, my very being. I was so grateful and I prayed that the words I read would never leave me. I have read the Bible before, many times, and I have never felt that way before.

During my date with God, I didn’t talk to him with my thoughts, inside myself….I talked to Him out loud. I told Him anything and everything I wanted to share with Him. I expressed how I felt about Him. What I thought about what I have learned about Him. My Desires, hopes, dreams. Things that caused me stress. Things I needed to work on in my life. I talked to Him about my family and friends.

I turned on worship music, I loved on Him, raised my hands high, got on my face flat, danced for Him. I blew a kiss to Him and reached out like I was hugging Him. I told Him how much I loved Him and appreciated His promises in my life.

It was our time.
I valued this time. This moment.
I told God, thank you for letting me experience Him in a whole new wonderful way.

That weekend is deep seeded in my heart. I got to be alone with my Heavenly Father for a whole weekend. I felt like a princess. Like there was no one else, but Him and I. We shared so much that weekend.

It is not embarrassing or foolish to spend time with God. Be your complete self. He loves you unconditional. Hold nothing back. Make plans to spend time with your Heavenly Father, with no distractions…it feels good to make plans to do this and builds up anticipation.

You’re his Pretty Princess and your Father wants time with you. He has a place of honor for you, by His side.


Kim Wenrich
2 Corinthians 5:17
Psalms 139
heaveninmyheart1@yahoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gods-Girls-Most-Honorable-and-Beautiful-Among-All-Women/248867505178819